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Austin Peay junior Alex Robles (5) pitches during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Logan Gray (15) prepares to bat during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Ridge Smith (14) reacts to getting on third base during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

The Austin Peay dugout reacts during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Dre Gleason (11) runs to third during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chroni

Austin Peay junior Dre Gleason (11) slides home during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Garrett Copeland (4) catches a pop up during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Fans watch the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Many seats remained empty due to a 10 p.m. start time due to weather and the game did not finish until after 1 a.m. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay senior Clayton Smithson (7) attempts to tag out Belmont's Kyle Conger (25) during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Garrett Copeland (4) tosses the ball to teammate Alex Robles (5) during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay senior Patrick Massoni (2) and Ridge Smith (14) point after Massoni scored during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay junior Logan Gray (15) is high fived by teammates after scoring during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

The skies began to clear at the Ballpark at Jackson on the first day of the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship tournament on Wednesday. The weather caused both games for the day to be delayed. Austin Peay was scheduled to play Belmont at 5 p.m. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay president Alisa White walks with an umbrella at the Ballpark at Jackson during a rain delay on Wednesday during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship tournament. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Peay fans gather for the alumni-sponsored picnic under shelter during a rain delay on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson for the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship tournament. The game against Belmont was originally scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle

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Austin Peay junior Logan Gray (15) is high fived by teammates after scoring during the Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship game against Belmont on Wednesday at the Ballpark at Jackson. Austin Peay won the game 12-7.(Photo: Ayrika Whitney / The Leaf-Chronicle)Buy Photo

JACKSON, Tenn. — Austin Peay’s first outing at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament put a whole new meaning to the term late game.

Following a three-hour rain delay and a 11 1-/2-inning first game, Austin Peay was finally able to begin its game a mere five hours past the expected start time. Originally APSU and No. 6 seed Belmont were supposed to face off at 5 p.m. but were unable to throw out the first pitch until 10:05 p.m. and stretched into the early hours of Thursday.

The late night game saw No. 3 seed Austin Peay edge out Belmont for the 12-7 final.

“It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and here we are standing here on the baseball field so yeah that’s not easy. I’m just glad we get to play a better a time tomorrow (Thursday),” said first year coach Travis Janssen.

“I thought we played pretty complete under the circumstances being opening day and I wish the 8th inning would have gone better.”

APSU was first on the board with Ridge Smith and Dre Gleason both reaching home in the bottom of the second for the uncontested 2-0 lead, until Belmont added a single score in the third.

The Bruins were able to even it up in the fourth on an RBI single only for Austin Peay to regain the lead off a Chase Hamilton double and a Josh Wilson bunt brought in two more runs.

More insurance came in a big way in the sixth with 6 runs for the 10-2 score. Belmont was able to cut down the lead on walk in scores to 10-7 before APSU added two more for the 12-7 final.

Austin Peay will continue its run in the double-elimination tournament when the Govs face No. 2 seed Jacksonville State Thursday at 3 p.m. Belmont will play Tennessee Tech at 11 a.m.

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Austin Peay faced Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. The Govs were able to outlast a Bruin offense, a three-hour rain delay and a nearly four hour game for the first tournament win.